By: Morgan Huizar
History has been made on the Softball field once again. On Friday April 3, 2025, Cardinal fans were shocked and surprised with the shocking announcement of Victoria Altamirano’s #19 number being retired by the school.
Speaking to a source on the Softball team she told me that only a few of them knew about the surprise announcement. “Some of us knew about the surprise announcement, it has never been done before in school history, so it was great to see.”
Altamirano, a senior center fielder for the UIW Cardinals, has been nothing short of amazing for the Cardinals this season. The Senior Center Fielder from Los Fresnos, Texas, has a population of 8,000 people and is a part of the Brownsville Metropolitan area. Altamirano has a batting average of .444 with an OPS of 1.576 with 18 Home Runs and 52 RBIs on the 2026 season.
Speaking to Victoria’s mom Esther Altamirano, she told me that having Vic’s number retired is an honor and a blessing for her. “Having Victoria’s jersey retired is both an honor and a blessing. Ever since she (Victoria) began playing at a very young age, we knew she had a special gift. Victoria has always played with respect, passion, and a deep love for the game.” Altamirano also mentioned all the hard work her daughter has put in. “She has dedicated countless hours, both on and off the field, to become the player she is today. Nothing has ever been handed to her- she has earned every accolade, recognition, and accomplishment through hard work and determination.” Ms. Altamirano, said “Seeing Coach Dean retire her jersey at the end of the season is a true testament to the fact that hard work does pay off.”
When the Public Address Announcer introduced Victoria and her accomplishments, and then ended it with her number being retired, there was not a dry eye in the stands of HEB field. Everyone that was in attendance from Victoria’s family cheered and cried in elation for number 19. It was a secret well-kept in their circle.
After the completion of the ceremonies, and having Victoria enjoy the moment, a couple of days later she told me, that she could’ve never imagined this moment being a small-town girl. “It’s definitely surreal Altamirano said.” “Coming from a small town, you grow up dreaming big and making a name for yourself.” Victoria continued “I would’ve never have guessed a dream like this would come true. This jersey represents not only me but my family and everyone who has believed in me.”
Altamirano also mentioned that she and Coach Dean have a wonderful relationship. “UIW and Coach Dean have meant so much to me in so many ways. Having a coach that not only values you as a player, but also as a person really helps you become successful in a sport that has a lot of failure in it.” Victoria, also spoke about how UIW has had her back since her freshman year. “Having a school that appreciates and believes in me everyday makes it easy to show up everyday and want to make this program better. I will always be proud to play for Coach Dean and wear UIW across my chest for the rest of my life. I would choose this school over and over and would do it all again if I could!”
For those wanting to catch Altamirano and her squad one last time, at HEB field, you can tune in to ESPN+ on Tuesday April 14 on ESPN+ for a double header against East Texas A&M Commerce and Wednesday April 15, for the series finale starting at 1PM.
